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Two monster cyclones raging concurrently — an away-going one in the Arabian Sea and incoming one in the Bay of Bengal — have combined to throw the October weather for Peninsular India to the winds.
Both cyclones pack the destructive strength of ‘a very severe cyclone’ — next only to the super cyclone status .
To intensify further
Both the very severe cyclones have been put under watch for further intensification, but the India Met Department (IMD) has not indicated whether any would reach the super cyclone strength.
While very severe cyclone ‘Luban’ has drifted away far into the open Arabian Sea, its counterpart very severe cyclone ‘Titli’ is threatening to spank the North Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Bengal coasts.
Both the massive-sized storms have developed microwave ‘eyes’ indicating the strength they are marshalling from a conducive environment including warm waters and helpful atmospheric features.
On Wednesday evening, the IMD located very severe cyclone ‘Titli’ over West-Central Bay of Bengal, 280 km South-South-East of Gopalpur (Odisha) and 230 km South-East of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).
It is likely to move north-northwestwards and cross the Odisha and adjoining North Andhra Pradesh coasts between Gopalpur and Kalingapatnam by Thursday morning.
Landfall tomorrow
Thereafter, it could turn to the right (re-curve northeastwards) and move across the Odisha coast towards the plains of Bengal and weaken gradually.
The very severe cyclonic storm is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy falls over Odisha; heavy to very heavy rain over the plains of Bengal and North Coastal Andhra Pradesh. Heavy rain is also forecast at isolated places over Mizoram, Tripura and far-away Kerala.
Gale winds reaching up to 110 km/hour in speed and gusting 125 kmph will prevail over far West-Central and adjoining North Bay. These were forecast to escalate to 130 km/hr gusting to 145 km/hr from Wednesday evening.
Gale winds with speed reaching 70 km/hr and gusting to 80 km/hr were forecast to commence along and of North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts.
They would gather strength at 150 km/hr gusting 165 km/hr along and off South Odisha and adjoining North Andhra Pradesh coasts from later in the night.
Very severe cyclone ‘Luban’
Meanwhile, in the Arabian Sea, the very severe cyclone ‘Luban’ was located over the West-Central basin, 600 km East-South-East of Salalah (Oman); 560 km East-North-East of Socotra Islands (Yemen); and 760 km East-South-East of Al Ghaidah (Yemen).
‘Luban’ may move west- northwestwards towards Yemen and South Oman Coasts during the next four days, the IMD said.
Gale winds with speed reaching 130 km/hr and gusting to 145 km/hr are prevailing over the West-Central and adjoining South-West Arabian Sea.
‘High’ to ‘phenomenal’ (wave heights ranging from 20 ft to 46 ft or above) may prevail over these sea areas. Fishermen are advised not to venture out.
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